Costa Rica, Canada, Puerto Rico and USA Women Final Four at NORCECA Finals

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 16, 2023. - Costa Rica, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States are the four finalists in the women’s tournament of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball  Continental Tour Final in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.

The semifinals will take place on Sunday between Maria Navas/Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico and Megan Kraft/Terese Cannon of the United States, and Valentina Molina/Kianny Quesada of Costa Rica against Canadians Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain.

Costa Rica’s duo of Valentina Molina/Kianny Quesada, advanced to semifinals defeating the Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez 2-0 (21-11, 21-17).

Earlier, the “Ticas” had finished the preliminary round as second in pool B behind Americans Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon, while López/Lolette finished at the top of pool A after a 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) victory against Dominicans Paniagua/Tavares.

Sarah Pavan and Molly McBain of Canada dominated their quarterfinal match against Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik of Cuba 2-0 (21-16, 21-16). Pavan/McBain had finished first in pool D with a victory over Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores of Mexico 2-0 (21-3, 21-17).

Puerto Ricans María González and Allanis Navas started the day by winning pool C after defeating Daniela Vigil/Sofía Velásquez of El Salvador 2-0 (21-6, 21-9) and then they clinched their spot in the semifinals with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-11) victory over Gutiérrez/Flores (MEX) after recovering from a four-point deficit (4-8) in the first set.

Americans Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon were the last team to secure their spot in the semifinals after defeating Crismil Paniagua and Nallelin Tavares of the Dominican Republic.

In the classification matches for positions 9/12, Natalia Girón/Paola Alvarado of Guatemala defeated Vigil/Velásquez (ESA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), and Heather Thompson/Stefania Gandolfi of the Cayman Islands defeated Almeida-Anz/Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-18, 21-19).

Women’s Results Saturday:

QUARTERFINALS Molina/Quesada CRC d López/Lolette NCA 2-0 (21-11, 21-17); Pavan/McBain CAN Amanda/Drik CUB 2-0 (21-16, 21-16); González/Navas PUR d Gutiérrez/Flores MEX 2-0 (21-16, 21-11); Kraft/Cannon USA Paniagua/Taveras DOM 2-0 (21-6, 21-9)

CLASSIF. 9/12 GUA d ESA 2-0 (21-18, 21-15); CAY d ISV 2-0 (21-18, 21-19); CLASSIF. 13/16 PAN d VIN (21-7, 21-15)

POOL A López/Lolette NCA d Paniagua/Taveras DOM 2-0 (21-19, 21-16)

POOL B Kraft/Cannon USA d Molina/Quesada CRC 2-0 (21-17, 21-10); N. Girón/Alvarado GUA d González/Urrunaga PAN 2-1 (18-21, 21-4, 15-9)

POOL C González/Navas PUR d Vigil/Velásquez ESA 2-0 (21-6, 21-9); Amanda/Drik CUB d Sylvester/Duncan VIN 2-1 (21-4, 21-4)

POOL D Pavan/McBain CAN d Gutiérrez/Abril MEX 2-0 (21-3, 21-17)